Fuji Enters Digital Medium Format Market

2016.09.19

Photokina 2016 is just about to start and they had an advance Press Release Day today full of exciting news! Given that it only happens every other year, Photokina is always a great avenue for photographic news. This is not to say that this year was unremarkable since it really picked up compared to 2015:

Things started when Nikon launched the D5 reviewed here and D500 simultaneously at CES 2016 as new full-frame and APS-C DSLR flagships.

Fuji then introduced the long-awaited X-Pro2 to succeed their original mirrorless. Olympus

Olympus unveiled the PEN F as top-of-the-line PEN mirrorless, finally adding an EVF to the series.

Canon also updated their flagship with the first Full-Frame Dual-Pixel CMOS sensor in their 1D X Mark II.

Sony unsassingly added another Alpha APS-C mirrorless, the A6300, which delivered outstanding performance in an exceptionally compact size.

Ricoh finally unveiled their first Full-Frame DSLR, the Pentax K-1 which sports 5-axis image-stabilization, built-in Astrotracer with GPS and Digital Compass in a weatherproof and freezeproof body, unlike no other full-frame on the market.

Sigma entered the mirrorless market with the APS-C SD Quattro and APS-H SD Quattro H, bring their unique full-color Foveon sensor to a new market.

Nikon launched 3 large-sensor premium cameras that were never to be seen: DL18-50, DL-25-85 and DL24-500.

Hasselblad unveiled a completely new mirrorless system with the X1D-50c as the world's first Medium Format Mirrorless.

In pre-Photokina announcements, Canon introduced their EOS 5D Mark IV to follow their most successful line of DSLRs with a new 30 megapixels Dual-Pixel Full-Frame CMOS sensor. They quickly followed with their first serious mirrorless, the EOS M5 which features a built-in EVF in a freezeproof body.

Today, Fuji revealed their development of a completely new Medium Format Mirrorless system, the second after Hasselblad's, built around a new G-mount with short 26.7mm flange-distance. They announced the first camera in the line to be the 50 megapixels GFX-50s which is to be shipped along with three medium-format lenses that will be followed quickly by another three. All are expected to ship in early 2017.

The platform of the GFX-50s is a 44x33mm sensor with 4:3 aspect-ratio, representing a 0.8X reverse-crop compared to full-frame. The first 50 MP sensor will be paired with a X-Processor Pro processor to deliver outstanding color, tone and resolution from the anti-alias-filter-free sensor. This initial Medium Format Mirroless model supports an attachable EVF with optional tilting adapter for greater flexibility. The GFX-50s will be fully weatherproof and freezeproof down to -10C.

Six GF-lenses are part of this launch:

A normal GF 63mm F/2.8R WR, equivalent to 50mm on a full-frame.

A wide-angle GF32-64mm F/4R LM WR zoom, equivalent to 25-51mm.

A medium GF 120mm F/4R LM OIS WR Macro, equivalent to 95mm.

A bright GF 110mm F/2R LM WR, equivalent to 87mm.

An ultra-wide GF 23mm F/4R LM WR, equivalent to 18mm.

A wide GF 45mm F/2.8R WR, equivalent to 35mm.

All these new Fujinon lenses will feature an aperture ring, with a new C position on the ring to enable aperture adjustments with a camera control-dial. Each lens will be dust and weather resistant, built to withstand operation at temperatures as low as -10°C to handle challenging weather conditions.

Pricing and exact availability are to be announced at a later date.

• Digital Camera
• Photokina